I've been convicted

I know, I know. I haven't written since last Thursday. Would you believe I've been very busy? Would you believe I've had the stomach flu? Well, both are true. Anyway, while I was moaning and groaning in bed yesterday I started thinking about this gentleman at church who has the same birthday as me (Feb. 27). He's 35 years older than I am. He has been my role model for many years at church. When I first became active about 10 years ago, it was in the midst of a bit of a controversy surrounding the pastor. I went from not being active at all to being the chair of the two most important committees in a Methodist Church. One, the Administrative Council, is the central council that everything else must go through and two, what's called the Pastor/Parish Relation committee which is responsible for setting standards for the performance and pay of the Pastor. I don't know why God put me there, but I do know that he put a certain William "Bus" Styles there to help and guide me. I think of him as a kind of soul-mate since we were born on the same day. So, as my mind was drifting along with my stomach, I turned my thoughts to another man at church, whom I hold in similar regard. His name Pershing Edele. And yes, he was named after Black Jack Pershing and he was one of the brave young men to storm the beaches of Normandy France in 1944. When relfecting on these gentlemen, I often feel guilty for not placing my own father in this same category. He used to be active at church, but as a confessed agnostic, he's left behind the congregation that I now serve. So I get up finally last night to read my email. And there's an email from Terry Edele, Pershing's son (who happens to be a Methodist Minister.) He just wants the email address of our pastor. So, I sent that along and added a PS that his dad was one of my heroes. Today, he emails a reply thanking me for the info and says "by the way, if your dad is Jim, he's one of my heroes." Ah, crap. How can my dad me a hero of the son of one of my heroes? This means I'll have to ask my dad, and I'll find out something good about him that I didn't even know. What's my problem? Why is it so hard to accept him as a good person?

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